Fiber Broadband Association's
Women in Fiber Committee
Join Us
Sign up to participate in the Women in Fiber Committee - Click Here!
Join our LinkedIn Group - Click Here! (Open to non-members of the Fiber Broadband Association)
**Submit a nomination for the Women in Fiber Spotlight! (scroll down for more details)**
Vision Statement
We believe the world is a better place when women’s voices are heard. We believe companies are more successful when women are encouraged and rewarded to reach their full potential. We believe it is up to us to help identify, develop and promote women in the Fiber Broadband industry as well as technology, telecommunications, construction and manufacturing. We pledge to use this forum to help women succeed in the Fiber Broadband industry.
Value Proposition
To the FBA and the Industry
- Demonstrate the verifiable link between women in leadership and improved business performance. Identify our own potential leaders.
- Represent women in fields where women are not often well-represented.
- Highlight different career paths for women within fiber, telecommunications and technology.
- Identify challenges particular to women in the workforce in these industries and possible solutions.
To The Member Companies and Individual Members
- Networking: Provide opportunities for connections, networking, and building relationships with other women in fiber of all areas and experience.
- Professional Development & Leadership: Deliver professional development and leadership opportunities. Emphasize pathways for success and advancement.
- Workplace Education: Identify relevant everyday workplace issues for discussion and education. Learn to navigate challenges, varied situations, and problem solving. Find solutions.
- Recognition: Create opportunities to recognize different career paths held by women in fiber. Highlight those who demonstrate dedication and hard work within the field, the leadership of industry veterans, the talent and potential of developing leaders, and the stories that inspire us.
Women in Fiber Committee Leadership, Subcommittees, and Meetings
The Women in Fiber Committee's Chairperson is Alexa Edens, Senior Director of Cloud Service Providers at KGPCo, and the FBA Board Liaison is Katie Espeseth, Vice President of New Products at EPB.
The Committee has Co-Vice Chairs: Tamara Davis Brown, CEO and Co-Founder, Last Mile Broadband LLC; and Holly Ruser, Graybar, MSB Broadband Utility. Tamara and Holly support the Women in Fiber Committee Chairperson as well as liaise with the co-chairs of the five subcommittees. They are assisted by Orchestration Lead Priscila Paredes, Project Engineer, Union Telephone Company.
The Women in Fiber Committee meetings occur bimonthly on the third Wednesday at 4 PM Eastern.
Committee members are invited to participate in the following subcommittees:
- Association Partnerships
- Co-chairs
- Lori Ransbottom, Total Cable Solutions
- Lisa Smiley, Walker
- Events
- Co-chairs
- Kristin Decker, AFL
- Barbara Harmon, Wolf Line Construction
- Tanya Kanczuzewski, Dura-Line
- Priscila Paredes, Union Telephone Company
- Brenda Serrano, Graybar
- Kelly Weissmann, Clearfield
- Professional Development & Mentorship
- Co-chairs
- Niki Carnahan, Vitruvi Software
- Johanna Catchings, T-Mobile
- Social Media & Marketing
- Co-Chairs
- Melissa Lindenman, Nex-Tech
- Candy Riem, MEC
- Amanda Scherer, Adtran
- STEM Promotion for Women & Girls
- Co-Chairs
- CJ Ehrenreich, Ting Internet
- Mollie Nycum-Duvnjak, Biarri Networks
- Priscila Paredes, Union Telephone Company
- Libby Pawlick, MetroNet
- Kelly Weissmann, Clearfield
Each subcommittee has separate monthly meetings. More information will come from these subcommittees - stay tuned!
FBA member company employees and FBA Woman in Fiber members may join the Women in Fiber Committee. Individuals may participate in organized activities and/or general committee meetings, and there is no requirement to join a subcommittee in order to be a member of the overall Women in Fiber committee.
To read more about the Women in Fiber Committee in the January 26, 2022 press release, click here.
Please contact Jennifer Vassil at jvassil@fiberbroadband.org with any questions, to inquire about FBA membership status, or to be added to a subcommittee.
2022 Webinar Series
The Women in Fiber Committee will host a quarterly webinar series that will present expert advice on issues facing the industry, workplace, country, or world.
How To Inspire Lasting Change on Tuesday, May 10 at 11:30 AM Eastern
The second webinar in the series will be on Tuesday, May 10, at 11:30 AM Eastern with Chris Williams of Fuse Chamber Inc. and hosted by Priscila Paredes of Union Telephone Company and the Women in Fiber Committee’s Orchestration Lead. In two centuries of civil rights movements, we’ve learned one thing. If the system wanted to change, it would have changed already. When we ask the established order to change, we put the power in their hands. What nobody knows is - the power already belongs to you. Powerful voices inspire permanent change. They create compelling futures that draw the masses in. This powerful voice is inside each of us. But how do we find it? Tune in to this webinar to learn more.
Click here for the presentation.
The Road to Women in Fiber: Diversity, Mentorship, & Networking on January 27 at 1 PM Eastern
The first webinar in the series will be on Thursday, January 27, at 1 PM Eastern. FBA Women in Fiber Committee Chair, Alexa Edens, Senior Director of Cloud Service Providers at KGPCo, will kick off the webinar which will feature discussion between Allison Philbert, a 20-year telecom leader with a wealth of experience advising companies on technology innovation and business transformation, and FBA’s Trish Ehlers, Vice President of Membership, Industry Affairs, and Operations. The webinar discussion will explore themes that impact every professional—especially women—including diversity, networking, mentorship, and entrepreneurship.
Stay tuned for the announcement of the date and time of the next installment in the Women in Fiber Committee quarterly webinar series.
Women in Fiber Luncheon at Fiber Connect 2023 in Kissimmee, FL
Save the Date for Fiber Connect 2023 - August 20-23. For more info on Fiber Connect, click here. Plan to attend the annual conference at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center and join us for the Women in Fiber Luncheon on Tuesday, August 22.
2022 Women in Fiber Spotlight
In 2022, Fiber Broadband Association’s Women in Fiber (WIF) Committee is pleased to continue the monthly initiative – Women in Fiber Member Spotlight. As the initiative celebrates its two-year anniversary and FBA continues to focus on workforce and skills issues in our space, the Women in Fiber Member Spotlight series continues to highlight different roles and careers for women in fiber, telecom, tech, and construction.
Do you know a female leader in the fiber broadband industry who deserves recognition? The Women in Fiber Committee Leadership will select honorees monthly who will then be featured in the weekly Optics e-newsletter, on the Women in Fiber LinkedIn page, on FBA's Twitter feed, and on our website. Nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis. Winners must be part of an FBA member company to be considered. The Women in Fiber Committee Leadership will continue to consider all nominees not chosen as winners for future monthly selections. A nomination for an individual does not need to be re-submitted.
To submit a nomination using the online form (preferred), click here.
To download the form to complete and send in, click here.
Please email Jennifer Vassil at jvassil@fiberbroadband.org with any questions or completed nomination forms.
Read about the 2022 Women in Fiber Spotlight Winners!
2021 Women in Fiber Spotlight
In 2021, we highlighted a remarkable group of Women in Fiber Spotlight honorees. To read extensively about our previous Women in Fiber Spotlight winners, Click Here.
2020 Women in Fiber Spotlight
In 2020, the Women in Fiber Spotlight was launched with this inaugural group of nominees and winners.
The Women in Fiber Hall of Fame recognizes all of our 2020 Spotlight nominees and winners: Jessie Monroe, Johanna Catchings, CJ Ehrenreich, Cheri Beranek, Megan O'Brien, Rica Edwards, Tanna Hanna Kimberly Pitcher, and Shannon Quigley. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication to the Fiber industry. Congratulations to all of our Women in Fiber Spotlight Nominees! To read extensively about our previous Women in Fiber Spotlight winners, Click Here.
2019-2020 Women in Fiber Webinars
| September 22, 2020 | FBA Women in Fiber Group Presents: Women and Competition in the Workplace | Watch the Recording |
| May 14, 2020 | Work-Life Balance? It's a Pandemic! | Watch the recording |
| March 26, 2020 | Accelerating Women in the Workplace: How to Develop a Women's Resource Group at Your Organization | Watch the Recording |
| December 12, 2019 | Preventing the Burnout_ Addressing Obligations of the Work, Family, and Life | Watch the Recording |
| October 24, 2019 | Sponsors are Critical to Your Career: Find out Why and How to Develop Them | Watch the Recording |
A Big Thank You to Our Former Steering Committee Members
Click here to learn more about the group of amazing and talented women below (in order from left to right) who launched the Women in Fiber Group in 2020.
- Kim Hartwell, Corning
- Tanya Kanczuzewski, Dura-Line
- Mary Ellen Grom, AFL
- Alexa Edens, KGPCo
- Holly Ruser, Graybar
